Packaging method



July 22, 1969 CLARK 3,456,783

PACKAGING METHOD 7 Filed Jan. 18, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LVMA/v M. CLAAK ATTORNEYS 3,456,783 PACKAGING METHQD Lyman M. Clark, Livingston, NJ, assignor to Becton Dickinson and Company, Rutherford, N..I., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 698,746 Int. Cl. 365d 85/ 62 U.S. Cl. 20665 9 (Ilaims ABSTRACT OF THE DISIILOSURE The method of packaging a plurality of clean laboratory tubes or similar articles where each tube has an open end. The package includes a bottom portion with upwardly extending sides so as to form a base for a plurality of tubes arranged with their open ends all fac ing in the same direction. Separator means are positioned between individual groups of the aligned tubes for protective purposes and a sealing sheet is positioned over the open ends of the tubes and is sealed thereon to aid in maintaining the clean interior of the tubes. A cover which has a top portion and depending sides is removably positioned on the base so that the sides of the base and cover engage to enclose the tubes. Insulating means are also provided within the package to help prevent the tubes from movement within the package during handling thereby providing a package which will protect the tubes and will facilitate the maintenance of a plurality of tubes with clean interiors. Two or more of these packages may be placed in an outer case for shipping purposes.

Background of the invention Several problems exist in the packaging and shipping of fragile laboratory equipment such as disposable culture tubes or similar articles. Naturally, since these tubes are generally manufactured of fragile material, it is im perative that they are protected during shipment to prevent breakage and consequent loss. Furthermore, it would be extremely advantageous to be able to protectively package the tubes while also maintaining a clean interior during shipping thereby providing a ready to use product when the packaging is eventually removed. In this manner, no cleaning is necessary when it is desired to open a package and use the culture tubes within, or other similar articles, within the laboratory.

It should be kept in mind that since the packaging is designed to protect the cleanliness of the tubes during shipping, handling and storage, it is equally important that the packaging be adaptable to receive the tubes in a clean condition during the packaging process itself.

Previous packaging methods have caused considerable problems as for instance, the occurrence of corrugated fibers, dust, dirt, and glass particles getting into the inside of the tubes when packaging material prone to generating those substances are used. Also, previous technology has attempted to protectthe tubes during packaging by providing a plastic bag to surround each tube. However, since the tubes are to be in the clean condition, it is preferred that they be packaged within minutes after leaving an annealing temperature of approximately 1020 F. The result was that the hot tubes stuck to the plastic bag thus causing extreme packaging difficulties.

It would, therefore, be extremely advantageous to provide a packaging concept which would enable the tubes to be protected during shipping, handling, and storage, enable the tubes to be packaged at a high annealing tem- 3,456,783 Patented July 22, 1969 perature in a clean condition, and maintain the clean interior of the tubes or similar glassware during handling, shipping, and storage so that when the package is opened and the glassware removed, it is in a ready to use clean and unbroken condition.

Summary of the invention Herein is provided a method of packaging a plurality of clean open end tubes. The package includes a base, having a bottom portion and upwardly extending sides and being adapted to receive the plurality of tubes arranged with their open ends in alignment. Separator means are then positioned between predetermined groups of the aligned tubes and a sealing sheet is positioned and sealed over the open ends of the aligned tubes which facilitates the maintenance of the clean interior of the tubes. A cover which has a top portion and depending sides is positioned so that its sides engage the sides of the base and enclose the tubes within. Insulating means are positioned within the cover and the base to help prevent the tubes from moving within the package during shipping and handling thereby providing a package which will protect the tubes from breakage and which will facilitate the maintaining of the tubes in a clean condition.

The principal objectives of this invention is to provide packaging whereby clean tubes may be packaged in a protective manner, so that no breakage will occur during handling, shipping and storage, and, when the package is eventually opened, the tubes will be in a clean ready-to-use condition. Furthermore, the packaging material is such that the tubes may be packaged within minutes after they leave a high annealing temperature and, also, the possibility of corrugated fibers, dust, dirt, and glass particles getting into the inside of the tubes in the packaged condition is greatly reduced.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a method of packaging clean tubes so that they are protected in the manner of the heretofore mentioned objectives.

Brief description of the drawings With the above and other objects in mind, reference is made to the attached drawings embodying the invention, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of tubes in alignment with a plastic sheet having been vacuum draped over the ends thereof and separators positioned between predetermined groups of tubes, all positioned within a tote box with a portion of the assembly having been broken away and removed;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view thereof showing the tubes being transferred from the tote box into the base of the package and several fillers being positioned therein;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of a package of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevation view of a package of this invention; and,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of two packages embodying this invention partially placed within an outer case.

Description of the preferred embodiment For descriptive purposes, the packaging concept of this invention will be employed to package a plurality of disposable culture tubes. However, it is apparent that many other types of fragile, clean laboratory equipment may be packaged similarly. As can be best seen in FIGURE 3, the outer configuration of the package 10 is determined by its rectangular base 21 and rectangular cover 20. The plurality of tubes and insulating material of the packages are all contained within cover 261 and base 21.

Base 21 has a fiat bottom portion and upwardly extending sides 30 which serve to form the interior chamber to contain the tubes for shipping. Cover has a flat top portion and depending sides 31 which engage sides 30 to form a closed package. Both cover 20 and base 21 may be formed of many types of well known packaging material; for instance, corrugated cartoning material has been found to work extremely well.

During the packaging process, the corrugated base 21 and cover 20 are set up to receive the plurality of tubes. A tote box 28 is then employed to arrange the tubes and prepare them for positioning within cover 20 and base 21. The tote box is merely a convenient rectangular shaped box having a base portion and upwardly extending sides having an interior area sufiicient to receive the desired number of tubes for packaging and is adapted to permit a vacuum draping of the open ends of the tubes to protect the clean interior thereof.

It is desirable to package the culture tubes in a clean condition preferably within minutes after the tubes leave an annealing temperature of approximately 1020 F., in which condition they are in a clean and ready-to-use condition. Therefore, as depicted in FIGURE 1, the tubes 24 are positioned within tote box 28 with their open ends facing toward the open side of box 28. For convenience of shipping and handling, 500 tubes have generally been found to be a satisfactory number to be placed within a single package. Tubes 24 are arranged in rows as shown, and plastic separators 22 are placed between each two adjacent rows of tubes for protective purposes. These plastic separators 22 give excellent protection against breakage caused by jarring of adjacent rows of tubes against one another and also alleviates the problem of the possibility of corrugated fibers, dust, dirt or glass particles getting into the inside of the tubes because of the solid plastic condition of the separators.

A plastic sheet 23 is then positioned and held in the frame of a well known vacuum forming machine (not shown). This plastic sheet along with the plastic separators can be formed of polyethylene plastic which is one of a variety of plastic materials which will work in this environment satisfactorily.

The tote box containing the tubes 24 and separators 22 is then placed in position in the vacuum forming machine in respect to the frame so that the plastic sheet 23 may be vacuum draped over tubes 24 to seal the openings thereof while the tubes are at an extremely high temperature and in a clean condition thereby maintaining the clean interior of the tubes. As is well known in the art, manual cutaway from the frame of the machine is performed after sealing is complete. The Packing Industries of Hyannis, Mass, manufactures vacuum forming machines which will adequately perform the vacuum draping step of this packaging process. You will note that the tote box 28 has openings 32 in its under surface to facilitate the vacuum draping operation in accordance with well known industrial procedures. Naturally, many other Well known vacuum forming machines are equally adaptable to packaging of this invention as well as the machines of the above mentioned corporation which have been found to work satisfactorily.

Turning to FIGURE 2, it is shown how the tubes after the vacuum draping operation are positioned Within the base 21 of package 10. Tote box 28 is inverted and tubes 24 are placed within base 21 with plastic sheet 23 on the bottom. The excess portions 33 of plastic sheet 23 is folded down along the sides of the plurality of tubes and if necessary over the bottom end of tubes 24 as can be seen in FIGURE 3.

Fillers are then positioned between the tubes 24 and the sides of base 21. These fillers may be also of a corrugated carton type of material. Fillers 25 are used to take up the excess area within base 21 when tubes 24 4 are in position. The amount of fillers naturally is determined by the amount of excess area which is generally dependent upon the diameter of the tubes being packaged. It should be noted that the fillers are placed between the plastic sheet 23 and sides 30 of base 21.

Referring to FIGURE 3, after fillers have been properly placed within base 21, a plastic sheet which may also be polyethylene plastic 26 is placed over the exposed end of tubes 24. Then, additionally one or two pads 27 will be placed over the plastic sheet 26 in order to fill in the excess space on the top of the tubes. Naturally, once again, the number of pads necessary will depend upon the length of the tubes being packaged. These pads may also conveniently be of a common type of corrugated cartoning material.

Then cover 20 is placed over base 21 so that its depending sides 31 will extend down over sides 30 of base 21 and engage therewith to form a closed package 10. It can be readily seen how a package of this type will protect both the interior cleanliness of the tubes and will protect the tubes from breakage during handling, shipping, and storage operations, as can be most advantageously seen in FIGURE 4.

To facilitate the shipping of packages 10, two or more of these packages may be positioned within an outer case 29 as seen in FIGURE 5. Outer case 29 may also be of a common type of corrugated cartoning material. Case 29 may then be sealed by any common method such as by placing strips of tape over the bottom panels at the open end. In this manner large quantities of tubes may be easily and effectively handled, shipped, and stored. Then when a case is opened and the tubes are unpackaged, they will be in a clean, ready-to-use condition which is extremely helpful and useful in normal laboratory procedures.

Thus the aforementioned objects and advantages are most eifectively attained.

I claim:

1. A package for a plurality of clean fragile tubes with each tube having one open end comprising; a base having a bottom portion and upwardly extending sides and being adapted to receive the plurality of tubes arranged in aligned rows with the open ends thereof in alignment, separator means positioned between groups of the aligned tubes, said separator means including at least one removable plastic partition placed between each two adjacent rows of tubes, a plastic sealing sheet positioned over the open ends of the aligned tubes and sealed thereon to facilitate maintenance of the clean interior of the tubes, said sealing sheet being adapted to be connected to vacuum draping means to vacuum drape the sealing sheet on the tubes and seal the opening thereof and to combine with said separator means to facilitate the prevention of migration of undesirable particles from one group of aligned tubes to another group within the package, a cover having a top portion and sides depending therefrom and adapted to engage the sides of the base so as to enclose the tubes therein, insulating means within the cover and base to help prevent the tubes from movement within the package during handling thereby quickly, efiiciently and economically providing a package which will protect the tubes from breakage and will facilitate maintaining of the tubes in a clean condition.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the package is rectangular in configuration.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the base and cover are of corrugated material.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the sides of the cover engage the outer surface of the sides of the base to form a closed package.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the insulating means includes at least one filler positioned between the plurality of tubes and the inner surface of the sides of the base and cover.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said at least one filler is a corrugated pad.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the insulating means includes a plastic sheet positioned within the package to cover the closed ends of the plurality of tubes.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 7 wherein a corrugated pad is placed between the plastic sheet and the cover.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least two of the pacpages are positioned within an outer case for handling, shipping and storing purposes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Davis.

Hogan.

Barnby 206-65 Hofeldt et a1. 20645.14 Santelli.

Face.

10 WILLIAM T. DIXSON, 1a., Primary Examiner 

